One of World's Top 10 Topiary Gardens: Ladew Gardens

Just as a luxurious getaway can help restore the spirit, gardens can provide a place for peace and escape – whether a simple backyard garden or magnificently manicured landscapes. Topiary is the ancient art of ornamental gardening, where evergreen shrubs and trees are trimmed and sculpted into fantastical or geometric shapes. One of the world's most magical topiary gardens is within an easy drive north of Rachael's Dowry – Ladew Gardens.

Ladew Gardens is the legacy of foxhunter and cultural icon Harvey Ladew. He bought the 200+ acre Pleasant Valley Farm property in the Maryland countryside in 1929. After renovating and expanding the 18th century manor house, he turned his attention to the 22-acre gardens. He decided to do all the landscaping and garden planning himself. The centerpieces of the gardens are the more than 100 larger-than-life topiary forms depicting a fox and hounds, horses and riders, a Chinese junk with sails, swans, and a giraffe, among others.

These formal gardens draw more than 30,000 visitors a year from 40 countries. In addition to the topiary garden, there is a mile-long nature walk where visitors can witness an unaltered natural landscape that provides an intentional contrast to the manicured gardens. Visitors also can enjoy the native butterfly house for an up-close view of the habitat and life cycle of native butterflies and caterpillars.

On May 7, Ladew will host the 14th annual Garden Festival – its biggest event of the year. It has become the region's most anticipated sale of specialty plants, garden ornaments and antiques, when more than 30 vendors offer hard-to-find annual and perennials, small trees, decorative garden accessories, and more. Ladew hosts other events throughout the year featuring art, music, wellness and gardening workshops. In October, Ladew Gardens illuminates its sculptures and installations for the Garden Glow, which also features hundreds of artist-carved pumpkins, live music, and local vendors for food, beer, wine and spirits.

Ladew Gardens
3535 Jarrettsville Pike
Monkton, Maryland 21111
410-557-9466
Open April 1 - October 31
Thursday - Tuesday | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Open until 7 pm for Twilight Tuesdays